Skirt-supporter



(No Model.)

' A. M. PERKINS.

SKIRT SUPPORTER.

Na 532,010. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

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ALICE M. PERKINS, OF IIAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKlRT-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,010, dated January 1, 1895.

Application illedSeptemher 24, 1894. Serial No. 523,867. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALIon M. PERKINS, of Ilaverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Skirt-Supporters, of which the following de scription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspeciiication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

Ladies experience considerable trouble in maintaining the dress skirt properly in place at the waist, particularly at the back, where the weight of the extra fullness tends to pull the waist-band down. This is not only uncomfortable to the wearer, but frequently an unsightly gap is made between the top of the skirt and the lower edge of the basque, and this invention has for its object the production of simple and efiicient means for keeping the skirt always in correct position, and thereby avoiding or overcoming the foregoing objections.

My invention consists essentially in a band of sufficient resilience to cause its ends to fly apart from one another when free and adapted to be adjusted and fastened about a persons waist by a suitable fastening applied to its ends, the band being rigid transversely, and supplied with rigid upturned hooks which are immovably fixed upon the inner side of the band and are adapted to engage and support the skirt, thereby to hold the skirt in place at the waist.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a skirt supporter embodying my invention. Fig. 2, on a smaller scale, shows the skirt supporter in use, and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail to be described.

The band a may be of any suitable material, light and having sufficient flexibility to be bent around the waist of the wearer, and yet possessing sufficient rigidity or strength vertically to prevent breaking down or wrinkling, the band, and further, being sufficiently resilient to cause its ends to fly apart when released, thereby to expedite its application to and removal from the person. Thin sheet metal, nickel or silver plated, brass, or hard rubber are well adapted for the purpose. As shown in Fig. 1, the band is provided at one end with one or more key-hole or similar openings at, to receive therein a fastening stud a on the other end, by which means the band is conveniently clasped about the waist,

and if desired a slip band a maybe also used to hold the outer free end in place. the inner side of the band I have shown aseries of unyielding or rigid upturned hooklike points Z) immovably or rigidly secured thereto inclined rearwardly, and preferably arranged at the back portion of the band, said points being adapted to freely enter the material of the waist band a of the skirt a when applied thereto. See Figs. 2 and 3.

To apply the band the wearer passes it around her waist, the skirt being in position, and drawing the ends of the band together and slightly lifting it the points I) enter the skirt band 0, after which the ends are clasped together. Encirling the waist firmly yet lightly, as shown in Fig. 2, the band a will hold the dress skirt a in position, and will efiect-ually prevent it from sagging at the back. lVhen the band a is loosened, the points I) will be withdrawn from the skirt band 0' without effort on the part of the wearer merely by the downward movement of the band relative to the skirt.

If a basque, as b, is worn, it will conceal the supporting band a, or the usual belt worn with a shirt waist will perform the same office.

While not generally so convenient, the band may, if desired, be made of sufficient width to take the place of such a belt, and it may then be ornamented in any desired manner.

Any desired form of clasp may be employed for the band, preferably permitting slight adjustment for the waist of the wearer.

I claim- The within described improved article of manufacture consisting of the resilient band a, rigid in its transverse direction, adapted to be encircled about a persons waist, and provided with means at its meeting ends to adjust and fasten it about a persons waist and supplied with rigid upturned hooks b immovably fixed upon the inner side of the band to engage and support a skirt, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALICE M. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

FRANK J. DUFFIE, ANNIE F. ROBERTS.)

Upon 

